OSAGE HEDGE FENCE. 83 



peach in abundance. Evergreens shrubbery and flowers com- 

 plete the picture. 



THE STOCK 



kept on the farm from 1876 to 1879 consists of twenty-five 

 Short Horns of the best families, with the three-year-old bull 

 Mark Twain at the head of the herd. These are kept expressly 

 for breeding purposes. Thirty high grade cows for dairy ; 

 twenty three-year-old graded steers for feeders ; thirty-six 

 one and two-year-old graded Short Horns ; thirty-two head 

 of brood mares and colts, descendents of Sweet Briar, 

 George M. Patchen and Highlander ; one Spanish jack ; ten 

 breeding sows, Poland China ; sixty feeders, with an average 

 of fifty stock hogs ; and four hundred chickens. 



HOW TO MAKE AN OSAGE HEDGE FENCE. 



I grow my own hedge plants, preparing my ground one 

 year in advance of setting the plants. I plant two-year olds. 

 They give strong growth. Plant six inches apart. Prepare 

 the ground as early in the Spring as possible. Have the ground 

 well pulverized. Line out hedge-row and set stakes about 20 

 rods apart, until the line is completed. In order to get the 

 furrow deep enough, plow twice. Be sure and plow the same 

 way each time, for the reason that the beam side of the furrow 

 to set plants by, is wanted. Before setting out the plants pud- 

 dle the roots well in mud. This is the great secret in raising 

 hedges. The moist earth being in contact with the young 

 fibers soon starts them growing. I have eight miles of hedge on 

 this farm and I never reset one rod of it. Three men and one 

 plow team can put out one mile in one day. It is very impor- 

 tant to set deep enough to cover up the yellow bark ; don't 

 bank the earth around the plant, but have the ground 

 after setting perfectly level. Do not cut the tops below the 

 thorns, for in cutting so low all the live buds are cut off, and 

 the plants will grow unevenly. One can not begin too soon to 

 cultivate. Keep down all the weeds and stir the ground 

 well, for the osage plant needs a great deal of moisture. 

 Keep stock from browsing or walking upon the hedge row. 



